Senate budget includes Pacheco's Taunton State Hospital amendment

An amendment to the $34 billion Senate budget proposal would keep Taunton State Hospital open for another year at a limited capacity while funding a study to examine potential expanded uses at the facility.

An amendment to the $34 billion Senate budget proposal would keep Taunton State Hospital open for another year at a limited capacity while funding a study to examine potential expanded uses at the facility.

“This amendment promises that patients receiving behavioral and mental health services through the 45 beds at Taunton State Hospital will continue to have access to mental health care in Southeastern Massachusetts through June 2014,” said state Sen. Marc Pacheco, D-Taunton, who sponsored the amendment. “This ensures we will continue working to find a solution for the long-term viability and full utilization of Taunton State Hospital and to reposition the hospital for the existing and emerging needs that are self-evident in our society.”

Language to keep the hospital open also appeared in the Senate Ways and Means budget proposal, which went before the Senate. The Senate approved a budget late Thursday night following two days of debate.

The budget amendment calls for $100,000 in funding to hire a consultant to produce a report to examine mental health needs in the state and future programs that could potentially be housed at Taunton State Hospital.

The report, according to Pacheco’s office, would study potential pilot programs including state-operated pilot crisis stabilization units to evaluate, stabilize and refer behavioral health patients who are boarded in emergency rooms or acute care units in Southeastern Massachusetts; a pilot program for non-violent offenders with mental health diagnoses serving sentences in state or county correctional facilities; and a pilot program for women who are evaluated as having co-occurring mental health and substance abuse orders.

The Patrick administration announced plans last year to close the mental health facility and consolidate its services at the new Worcester Recovery Center and Hospital. The House and Senate overrided Gov. Deval Patrick’s veto last year to keep the hospital open at a reduced, 45-bed capacity for fiscal 2013.

Some groups, including the Massachusetts Association for Mental Health support the administrations plan to close Taunton State Hospital, saying that funding would be better used for community-based care.